University of Florida President W. Kent Fuchs issued an apology on Sunday after several black graduates were aggressively ushered off the stage by an unidentified white faculty member during one of Saturday’s commencement ceremonies, Time reports. Students have said they were “observing a long-held tradition among black fraternities and ‘strolling’ after getting their college degrees” when they were manhandled.
“During one of this weekend’s commencement ceremonies, we were inappropriately aggressive in rushing students across the stage,” Fuchs wrote in a statement on Twitter. “The practice has been halted for all future ceremonies, and we will work to make sure all graduating students know we are proud of their achievements and celebrate them with their graduation.”
The practice has been halted for all future ceremonies, and we will work to make sure all graduating students know we are proud of their achievements and celebrate with them their graduation. (2/2)
— W. Kent Fuchs (@PresidentFuchs) May 6, 2018
Mobile phone footage caught the unnamed faculty member yanking 21-year-old Oliver Telusma and shoving him to the side of the stage.
“I had just started … and he picked me up and turned me around, which I thought was kind of embarrassing and degrading to be handled in that manner,” Telusma said in an interview with the Gainesville Sun. “It was just really uncalled for, especially for anyone not martially trained to do that.”
UF Twitter ??
Somebody please find out this employee’s name!! Every time a Black student took more than TWO seconds, he aggressively pushed them. Watch it for yourself. #ItsGreatUF pic.twitter.com/zMee1nMbUZ
— Chris (@ChicoFreedom) May 5, 2018
Other celebrating black students were also forcefully rushed off the stage. See additional footage from Time below.
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